BERLIN - A bakery deep in Germany's Black Forest has found an unlikely hit canning the region's famous Black Forest cherry torte cake and shipping it to fans as far away as Azerbaijan and Brazil.

The idea first came to baker Johannes Ruf after his sister living in the United States began requesting baked goods from their home village of St. Peter in southwest Germany.

His family bakery has sold more than 10,000 of the canned torte cakes, which stay fresh for two years, since it started selling them in November.

"Many colleagues said it wouldn't work and many said we wouldn't sell any," Ruf said of the cakes, which are baked in a tin that is then sealed and shipped.

Ruf said many faithful customers were Germans living abroad who were nostalgic for a little slice of home.

Germany's southwestern region is known for its dense, calorie-rich torte cakes, one of which was served at the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton last week.